Mandevilla plant named ‘Rita’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Rita’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; strong stems; early and freely flowering habit; and large red purple-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RITA’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘Gina’

Applicant: Graham Noel Brown

Filed: Jan. 31, 2012, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/385,067

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘Grace’

Applicant: Graham Noel Brown

Filed: Jan. 31, 2012, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/385,073

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Rita’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new shrub-type Mandevilla plants with strong stems and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia in December, 2003 of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla hybrida identified as code number X02.5, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmandecrim’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,539, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Macquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australia in November, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in Macquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australia, since December, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Rita’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Rita’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Strong stems.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Sunmandecrim’. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plants of ‘Sunmandecrim’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than plants of         ‘Sunmandecrim’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunmandecrim’ differ in         flower color as plants of ‘Sunmandecrim’ have crimson         red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Gina’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/385,067. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘Gina’ in flower color as plants of ‘Gina’ have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Grace’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/385,073. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘Grace’ in flower color as plants of ‘Grace’ have greyed purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunparaprero’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,399. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘Sunparaprero’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are shorter than plants of         ‘Sunparaprero’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla flower earlier than plants of         ‘Sunparaprero’.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunparaprero’ differ in         flower color as plants of ‘Sunparaprero’ have dark pink-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Rita’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Rita’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and summer with three plants in 20-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Bonsall, Calif. under commercial production cultural practices. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 32° C., night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 7,000 to 8,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were eight months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrida ‘Rita’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             hybrida identified as code number X02.5, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmandecrim’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,539. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About one month.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, thick; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant             habit, slightly vining; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 33 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 27 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely             branching habit with about six primary lateral branches per             plant; primary laterals with about six secondary lateral             branches each; pinching enhances lateral branch development.             Length: About 32 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length:             About 3 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;             woody with development. Color, young: Close to 144A. Color,             woody: Close to N199A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 5.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 147C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.             Color, upper surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in             terminal and axillary clusters; flowers face mostly             outwardly; freely flowering habit, about five to seven             flowers develop per cluster with about 100 flowers             developing per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously             year-round in the greenhouse and outdoors in Southern             California.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five days; flowers not             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Funnelform with five-parted fused             corolla; flowers roughly star-shaped. Diameter: About             6.3 cm. Depth (length): About 6.5 cm. Throat diameter: About             1.6 cm. Tube length: About 5.5 cm. Tube diameter, at the             base: About 4 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 6.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 cm.             Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to 63A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement and appearance: Single whorl of five             petals, fused into flared trumpet; petals imbricate. Petal             lobe length: About 2.7 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.4 cm.             Petal lobe shape: Roughly ovate, asymmetrical. Petal apex:             Acuminate; reflexing. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat             texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface: Close to             53B. Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 54A.             Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 60A;             towards the apex, close to 59A; towards the base, close to             60C; color does not fade with development; venation, close             to 59A. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close to             59B with occasional color breaks, close to 189D; venation,             close to 59B. Throat: Close to 172C to 172D; venation, close             to 172D. Tube: Towards the apex, close to 187D; mid-section,             close to 145C; towards the base, close to 181A; venation,             close to 145C and 187D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement and appearance: Five per flower fused in             a single whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 2.5 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute to acuminate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             inner surface: Close to 145D. Color, outer surface: Close to             145A; apices tinted with close to 185B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible.             Aspect: About 35° to 45° from stem axis. Color: Close to             146C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible.             Aspect: About 30° from peduncle axis. Color: Close to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to             155B. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther size: About 9 mm by             1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 161C. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 157D. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.1 cm. Stigma shape:             Rounded; five-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 146B. Style             length: About 1.9 cm. Style color: Close to 145D. Ovary             color: Close to 144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Mandevilla. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not     been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Mandevilla plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 2° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Rita’ as illustrated and described. 